The welcomed funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will progress the park’s wider regeneration plan, including the restoration of the much-loved dinosaurs.

£300k has been awarded to proceed with the £5m lottery grant application that will focus on the restoration of the dinosaurs and their landscape. The Lower Paxton Axis of the park and Penge entrance will also be improved, a new dinosaur themed playground will be developed near the existing popular park café, and a replacement information centre will be provided for visitors and residents to find out about the park and its illustrious history, which will also be occupied by the Crystal Palace Park Trust.

Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, says: “This funding is extremely welcome, allowing us to progress our £52m regeneration plan for Crystal Palace Park. Building on our close work with Historic England recently to prepare for the dinosaurs’ restoration, the Heritage Fund grant will allow us to move closer to safeguarding the future of these amazing structures, while also delivering wider improvements to green spaces, including a new playground for families to enjoy. I thank local community groups for their ongoing support as we move forward with our plan, with this not only being about restoration, but creating a sustainable model for the park that works for local residents and businesses, while generating the funds needed to care for these amazing assets and green spaces over the long term.”

The funding for Crystal Palace is part of a nation-wide round of heritage funding totalling over £24m that is being delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says
“Crystal Palace Park embodies the joy of heritage: from its nature walks and unique dinosaurs to the kaleidoscope of sporting and cultural activities held in its magnificent grounds. It’s as important to local communities as its history is significant internationally. We’re delighted that thanks to players of the National Lottery, we can save much loved heritage like the Crystal Palace Park all over the UK and create benefits for people, places and our natural environment. In 1852, Crystal Palace Park was designed to impress, educate, entertain and inspire. Our funding will help ensure that it continues to do just that for generations to come.”

The wider £52m regeneration plan for the park received outline planning permission in March 2021 and covers a wide-ranging programme of capital works, including the dinosaur restoration and connected works, conservation of the Italian Terraces and Paxton Bust, creating a purpose-built event space on the Lower Italian Terrace and numerous improvements to the park’s facilities, entrances, pedestrian routes and green spaces. Works are already underway as part of this plan, with the restoration of the Grade II* listed subway making good progress and to be completed later this year. A sustainable business model for the park is also being created that can support the maintenance of its assets and spaces.

The funding for the plan will come from a number of sources, including the sale of residential developments coming forward next to the park. Further grant funding still needs to be raised for much of the works, with some additional funding also needed to complete match funding for this lottery grant.

Historic England have been undertaking conservation and surveying on the dinosaurs in preparation for the restoration works. The Friends of Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs are also thanked for their important work in relation to conservation and raising the profile of the structures.

David English, Head of Region for London and South East at Historic England, said: “Crystal Palace Park is a fantastic green space made all the more exciting by its depth of history and unique historic features. The new funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is a welcome boost that will help advance the ambitious improvements the park requires. Historic England has invested more than £1 million in Crystal Palace in recent years, with a particular focus on conserving the park’s listed Victorian subway, Dinosaurs and Sphinxes so that they can be enjoyed now and into the future. We look forward to continuing this work.”

As part of the regeneration plan, the management of the park will be handed to Crystal Palace Park Trust in an arrangement designed to ensure effective sustainable long-term management. This process will begin on 1 April through a lease to the iconic concert platform, with full handover expected to be completed by September.

The trust are also delivering an ambitious activity plan as part of the National Lottery Heritage Funding that will deliver a number of heritage benefits in the park, including heritage-themed learning events and volunteer and work experience opportunities. The plan will be refined through community consultation later this year. 

Bill LoSasso, Chief Executive from Crystal Palace Park Trust said: “This needed investment will help preserve some of the park’s most beloved heritage and create new ways to engage with and learn about the park’s rich history.  We are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for helping to preserve the park’s past while ensuring that its future is equally inspiring.” 

Find out more about the regeneration plan

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Published: 28th March 2023